Born in Columbus, Ohio in 1941, John Gasho, Jr. was two years old when the family moved to Tucson, Arizona, where he has resided ever since. John Gasho was destined to be involved with aviation. He took his first commercial passenger flight when he was 12 days old. After a tour in the Air force, he entered civilian life and furthered his education. While employed, he found time to learn to fly on the G.I. Bill.

He bought and eventually restored a 1940 Piper J-4 Cub to original factory configuration. That aircraft now hangs at the Pima Air and Space Museum. His company, Western International Aviation, Inc. has restored, modified, regenerated and done original certifications for over 400 surplus military aircraft. Equally significant, he has designed and built special tools, machines, instrument panels, flight decks, engine stands, propeller dollies and various other innovations that enhance and assist the aviation community to do a better job.